Distinct Regulatory Mechanisms Governing Embryonic Versus Adult Adipocyte Maturation

Overview

Journal Nat Cell Biol

Specialty Cell Biology

Date 2015 Aug 18

PMID 26280538

Citations 82

Authors

Qiong A Wang

Caroline Tao

Lei Jiang

Mengle Shao

Risheng Ye

Yi Zhu

Ruth Gordillo

Aktar Ali

Yun Lian

William L Holland

Rana K Gupta

Philipp E Scherer

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Pathological expansion of adipose tissue contributes to the metabolic syndrome. Distinct depots develop at various times under different physiological conditions. The transcriptional cascade mediating adipogenesis is established in vitro, and centres around a core program involving PPARγ and C/EBPα. We developed an inducible, adipocyte-specific knockout system to probe the requirement of key adipogenic transcription factors at various stages of adipogenesis in vivo. C/EBPα is essential for all white adipogenic conditions in the adult stage, such as adipose tissue regeneration, adipogenesis in muscle and unhealthy expansion of white adipose tissue during high-fat feeding or due to leptin deficiency. Surprisingly, terminal embryonic adipogenesis is fully C/EBPα independent, but does however depend on PPARγ; cold-induced beige adipogenesis is also C/EBPα independent. Moreover, C/EBPα is not vital for adipocyte survival in the adult stage. We reveal a surprising diversity of transcriptional signals required at different stages of adipogenesis in vivo.

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